Machine for applying tape to cylindrical containers



1952 J. G. JONES EI'AL MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 24, 1950 mm mlw Q mw 6% d A NM W v M w @A M E l W Y B @v v m w QM mm m g 5 1952 J. G. JONES ETAL MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO CYLINDRICAL. CONTAINERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 24, 1950 Patented Feb. 12, 1952 IVIACHINE FOR APPLYING "TAPE T CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS John .G. Jones and Lawrence Ulmschneider, Rochester, ,N. Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of .New Jersey Application May 24, 1950,'Serial No. 163,898

8 .(Jlaims. ,1

This invention relates to a machine for applying tape to cylindrical containers. One object of our invention is to provide a machine .ior automatically applying a .strip of tape around a cylindrical portion of two container sections, .one constituting a body portion and one constituting a cover, to hold the cover on the body. Another object of our invention is to providea machine for applying such tape under a predetermined stress, so that the tape may be tightly and smoothly attached in the:proper location. Astill further object :of our invention is to provide a means for supplying severed lengths of tape to an applying drum and to :feed thecontainers into frictional contact with the drum under pressure such that the tape is smoothly-pressed while being stretched. taut against the peripheryof the container. Another object of .our invention :is to apply a tape strip to a cover and body portion of a container to make :a substantially moistureproof connection therebetween.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a means for insuring that the cover is completely on the container before the tape is applied thereto. Other objects will appearfrom the following specification, the novel features -being particularly pointed out in the claims :at

the end thereof.

Coming now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote'like parts throughout:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a machine for applying tape to cylindrical containers, constructed in accordance with and embodying apreferred form of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detailtaken online 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a holder for'the tape to be applied to the can. This viewis apart side elevation and part section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective detail showing a portion of thetape-carrying drum and the tape severing means;

"Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view "taken on 'line 4-4 of Fig. '1;

"'portionof -the feeding mechanism for advancing containers toward the tape-applying drum; lthiS view being a modification which includesa means for insuring that the covers are properly seated on the can bodies; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the can cover pressing member shown in Fig. 8.

in packaging photographic films, such .as .mo-. .tion picture films, it is necessary to prevent the leakage of air into the film package. Since the moisture content of air may vary, causing the film-to dry out, or to become too ,moist unless air is definitely excluded, itis customary to package rolls of film in metal containers after wrapping the film in suitableand preferably moisture-tight material, and it is, of course, desirable to also close the can against the entrance :of air after athe film is oncepackaged. It is, therefore, desirable to :applya length of adhesivetape, preferably of the type freouiently referred to as surgeons tape, which tape hasa pressure adhesive which remains tacky onone side of the tape, and, when applied -with;suitable pressure, such tape adheres quite tenaciously and is substantially moisture- :proof. Our present invention is particularlydirected :to an automatic machine for rapidly and accurately taping metal containers forfilm under the desired pressure and under standardized conditions so that the tape will be properly applied to exclude moisture.

,It is customary to use fiat cylindrical containers of the so-called pill-box type wherein a cover .of a relatively :flat cup-shaped cylindrical member is applied to a body member of similar shape, but of a slightly less diameter, so that the cover flange may be applied .over the body flange. It isobvious that such a machine is also suitable for other material to bepackaged incylindrical containers and that the containers may vary in shape although they-must'becylindrical to pass through v our improved machine.

Referring to Fig. ,1, the machine may consist broadly of a support on which .a .drum 2 is :mounted to rotateraboutanaxis 3. FIhe drum 2,

as best shown in 'Fig. 4, includesa rubber-like ring 4 extending around rthedrum, this material extension from a disk :5 which is carried by agea-r 6 being attached thereto by suitable screws 1. The gear 5 may turn on both bearings 8 and ,9 about the fixed axis ;3 which is here shown .as a

shafthavinganainopening H] in the center with -a threaded area 11 to which an air line may be attached to create a slight vacuum in this tube.

its cutting position shown in cut.

3 There is a fixed disk i2 carried on the upper end of the shaft 3 being held in position by a nut l3 attached to the threaded area M of the shaft 3. This disk is provided with a series of air channels l5, l5,and ll.

Referring to Fig. 1, channels l5 and lead to an arcuate air groove I8 and channel ll leads to a short arcuate air groove l9.

As indicated in Fig. 4, the drum 2 is provided with spaced air apertures which apertures, by being moved opposite the air grooves l3 and I9, permit suction to pass through these apertures to hold tape on the periphery of the drum. This tape 2| may be supplied in coils, as shown in Fig. l, with the adhesive side 22 inside the coil. This coil may be supported on a plurality of arms 23 extending outwardly from a core 24 over which the coil of tape 2l may be placed. The tape is drawn from the coil over a guide roller 25 which, as shown in Fig. 4, carries a serrated or grooved edge 26. This edge contacts with the adhesive side 22 of the tape 2| and presses the tape against the drum 2, pressing it firmly against the resilient periphery 4, as shown in Fig. 6. The pressure is such that a portion of this resilient periphery 4 is pressed-inwardly, as shown in Fig. 6, and the pressure, due to the vacuum through the apertures 20, holds the tape upon the drum from its point of application shown in Fig. l until after the tape passes to a position in which it will be 0 applied to the container. The tape is held by the air groove 18 and the air apertures 20 until it passes a severing mechanism best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. This severing mechanism designated broadly as may consist of a tubular member 3| carrying a knife 32 which may make one revolution for each length of tape to be severed. The tubular member 30 is pressed upwardly by the spring 33 and a pin 34 operable in a groove 35 insures rotation of member 30 with a gear 33, the teeth 3'! of which mesh with the teeth 38 of the gear 6 which drives the drum 2. The applying wheel 25 is carried by a shaft 39 and carries a gear 40 having teeth 4| also meshing with the teeth 38 of gear 6. Shaft 39 is a power-driven shaft which may be connected in the usual manner through a gear reduction to a 'motor, not shown. Therefore, the tape-applying wheel 26, the drum 2, and the severing knife 32 are all driven in proper timed relation through this drive. Shaft 42 which is attached to turn the gear 36 is preferably supported in a ball-bearing support 43 to turn freely on the support or base member I. Each time the knife is brought into Fig. 5, the slidable member 30 is moved axially of the shaft 42 by a cam 45 on the top of the slidable member. This cam contacts with a roller 46 which is fixedly 'mounted on a bracket 41 carried by two posts 48 which are supported by the mechanism plate or base I. Thus, at each revolution, at least that portion of the stroke of the knife 32, which cuts the tape, occurs while the knife is moving a short distance axially; this being an important feature because it makes a smooth, quick cut through the tape.

It should be pointed out here that when the tape is severed because the tape has been applied to the resilient surface 4 of the drum 2, the ends separate, as shown at S in Fig. 3. The reason for this is that since the periphery 4 of the drum 2 is compressed, the resilient surface 4 of the drum is held compressed until the tape is a portion of the resilient member 4 and the sep- This relieves the compression on at least 7 aration S occurs as the resilient member exs pands. This is important because as the tape is wound about one container, a second container will be moved into contact with the drum, and this second container must strike the end E of the tape which has been severed, and which is now spaced a distance s from the take-up end T which has been severed and which is already being wound about a container. If this spacing did not occur, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to position the cans accurately enough so that one can would not overlap that portion of the tape which has been cut, and thus endeavor to wind the tail-end of one strip instead of the leading end of the opposite strip on the can.

The support I is provided with a channel shaped guideway 50 through which the containers C-may be fed by a moving belt, or in any suitable manner, so that these containers will move between the guiding rails 5! of the guideway in the direction shown by the arrow, Fig. l. A convenient way of accomplishing this is to provide a belt which moves the containers into this guideway.

In Fig. l, the machine is about ready to apply a fresh container C to the drum to pick up the leading end E of a length of tape which will be severed as soon as the knife 32 completes a revolution to bring the knife into contact with the tape. The advancing movement is accomplished by a reciprocating slide 52 which, as best shown in Fig. 4, may consist of a section 52 having a container contacting face 53 mounted between a pair of side rails 54. These rails 54 may be carried by anti-friction rollers 55 which may engage beveled edges 56 of the rails and the rails may be held against the rollers 55 by means of a second set of rollers 51. These rollers may be rotatably supported by the brackets 58 which are supported by the base I. The reciprocating slide includes a slide member 59 which is pinned at 60 to a shaft 6|. This shaft passes a short way into a bearing 62 carried by the slide member 52 so that it may move in this hearing. A spring 63 lies between the slide members 52 and 59 and this spring is adapted to be compressed at the end of each stroke, as will be later described. The slide member 59 is connected through a ball-bearing 64 to a crank 65, this crank being connected through a second ball-bearing at 66 to a pin 61 driven through a disk 68 which disk carries a gear 69 with teeth 10 meshing with the teeth 38 of the gear 6. Thus, this crank is driven in timed relation to the rotation of the drum 2. Each stroke of the crank moves the slide member 52 through the spring 63 and the slide member 59 in a direction shown by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 4. When moving inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, it is obvious that the container C will be moved into contact with the drum and the timing is such that the end E of the severed tape will contact with the periphery of the can C whereas the separated end T will not engage the periphery of the container and thus will pass on and be wound around the advancing container.

As the slide 52 moves inwardly, it presses the container firmly against the end E of the tape and a predetermined degree of pressure is obtained by the spring 63, because the total stroke of crank 65 is greater than the movement of the slide section 52. This causes the slide member 59 which moves with the same stroke as the crank 65 to compress the spring 63 at each advancing stroke of the plunger. The plunger will momentarily remain in its innermost posithe guideway wall "10 and rim '4 is less by a small E amount than "the diameter of the container plus thethickness of the tape. This causes frictional contact, so that as the drum rolls, the containers will roll, and as the containers roll, the tape will .b e'wound firmly and smoothly about the container until completely wound "thereon. The pressure exerted between this winding will always be the {same because of the spacing of the wall 10 and resilient periphery 4.

' ,It will be noticed that the air slot is will 1?:

retain the severed section of the tape 2! upon the surface of the drum as the tape is being wound on a container, but as the last part of the windingoccurs, the end T of the tape will pass the end of the air groove 59 and thus be released 5%.

for complete winding on the container. After the containers have been completely taped, as occurs toward the end 13, the distance between the.en'cl 1.4 of the curved wall and the resilient iJer-iphery 4 of the drum may be greater as there is .no longer need to apply pressure to the sides of the container. The containers may then ,pass through a guideway 75 having walls it and -1.1 spaceda sufiicient distance to permit the conltainers to move freely as they pass from-the tap- .ing machine.

'It will be noticed from Fig. 1 that there is a .spring arm 80 extending upwardly and contacting with the container C. This tends to hold the container inthe position shown in Fig. 1 until the plunger 52 moves it and, when moving it, it -may-operate an arm 8| of a microswitch 82 which may be arranged to shut off the machine if .no containers are present. This feature is not @being claimed herein and need not further be described, except to'point out that the spring arm B0 serves to position the container and to cause .itto contact with an accurately located wall 83 during its inward movement toward the drum to accurately position the can on the severed end E of the advancing tape.

We also prefer to provide an arm 90 resting on an outer convolution of the tape, as shown in .Eig. 1; this arm swinging in a bearing 9| to actuate an arm 92 which may contact with a microswitch 93 to signal to an operator when the roll of tape 2| becomes exhausted.

The operation of our machine is extremely simple. In starting, the machine tape 2| is led ifrom'the roll carried by the supporting core 24 "about the grooved edge '26 of the applying roller '25 which iscarried by the power-driven shaft 39. The tape is pressed firmly by this roller against the periphery 4 of the drum 2, and is held thereagainst by suction through the spaced apertures 20 extending about the drum periphery. This suction will hold the tape against slipping and will carry the tape around the drum, after which it is passed between the knife-carrying roller and the drum periphery. After severing a length of tape and pulling the severed length from the machine, the machine is ready to start. Since a single power-driven shaft 39 drives all of the operating parts of the machine, they have to be operated in the proper timed relation. The first stroke of'the plunger 52 moves the container into contact with the end E of the tape. The plunger momentarily remains in contact with the container holding it against the drum until the drum advances the container into contact with the guide rail it]. This rail continues to press the can at a predetermined pressure against the resilient periphery l, while the severed length of tape is rolled on the can, the drum 'rolling the can against the guideway 10. This quickly and smoothly winds the tape on the can. While the plunger remains momentarily in its :furthermost position toward the drum, due to the compression and the release of some of the comcn the spring 33, the advancing conainer rides on the edge H39 of the plunger, and, consequently, cannot move into the position shown by the container 01 in Fig. 1. However, as soon as the plunger 52 is retracted to its Fig. 1 position, the container moves forwardly and is now ready to be moved into contact with the drum.

In Figs. 8 and 9 we have shown a modification which may sometimes be useful, although it is not essential for most work. If there is any liability of the can cover not being properly seated on the can, as may sometimes occur, we prefer to provide a presser member NH having beveled edges Hi2 and positioned on a spring arm H13 in the path of the container C so that asthe plunger 52 advances the containers, they will have to pass under this spring-pressed pad Illl which presses the covers down tightly as thecan iscon- 'tacted with the tape and as the can moves downwardly through the guideway 7| it will continue to press down the cover for a short distance, or until the cover-will be held down by the tape being applied to the periphery of the can. We find, however, thatsuch an arrangement is only necessary where some material is put in the can in such a manner that it tends to thrust outwardly 'upon the can cover. For most purposes we do not find such a can cover pressing arrangement necessary.

In the above specification we have pointed out a preferred embodiment of our invention which successfully carries out the objects of our invention. It is obvious that various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art,

we consider as within the scope of our invention all such modifications as may come within i'e scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

l. A machine for applying tape to cylindrical containers comprising a chute, an intermittent feed for movin containers one at a time from the chute, a drum having a flexible periphery, a power drive for the drum,.interconnected with the intermittent feed for moving the containers a supply for tape having an adhesive side, a roller for rolling the tape tightly against the drum compressing the flexible periphery and with the adhesive side out, a vacuum chamber and aweuum shield inside of the drum, spaced apertures in the flexible periphery of the drum for holding the tape thereon by vacuum with the flexible periphery held under compression by the tape, a reciprocating knife intergeared to the drum operable to cut off a length of tape, the compressed flexible periphery of the drum immediately expanding as the tape is cut to separate the severed ends thereof, the intermittent feed moving a container from the chute and into pressure contact with the severed end of the length of tape carried by the drum and in timed relation to the drum, an arcuate wall forming with the drum acurved path of less width than the diameter of the container whereby said container may be rolled by the drum to wind the severed tape thereon through the curved path, and an exit channel through which the containers may pass from the drum.

2. A machine for applying tape to a cylindrical container as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the drum is in the form of a ring carried by a disk and rotatable about a central fixed post,

said post, and a fixed disk inside the ring including air passageways through which a reduced pressure may be applied to arcuate chambers lying against the inside of the ring, whereby the apertures in the drum may have suction applied to hold the severed lengths of tape thereon through a limited portion of its movement.

3. A machine for applying tape to a cylindrical container as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the flexible periphery of the drum is of rubber-like material and the means for applying tape thereto is a corrugated roller compressing the rubber-like material as the tape is pressed against the roller placing the tape and the flexible periphery both under tension.

4. A machine for applying tape to a cylindrical container as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the flexible periphery of the drum is of rubber-like material and the means for applying tape thereto is a rigid roller compressing the rubber-like material as the tape is pressed against the roller placing the tape and the flexible periphery both under tension, the reciprocating knife cutting the tape releasing the compression of both the tape and the flexible periphery by severing the tape as the knife passes through the tape and into the rubber-like material on the drum whereby expansion of the periphery of the drum may immediately separate the ends of the tape to facilitate applying the container to the severed tape.

5. A machine for applying tape to a cylindrical container as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the flexible periphery of the drum is of rubber-like material and the means for applying tape thereto is a corrugated, rigid roller compressing the rubber-like material as the tape is pressed against the roller placing the tape under tension, gearing interconnected with the drum power drive for turning the reciprocating knife at the peripheral speed of the drum, the reciprocating knife cutting the tape releasing the compression by severing the tape as the knife rotates whereby expansion of the periphery of the drum may separate the ends of the tape, to facilitate applying a container to the severed end of the tape for rolling the container to apply the tape thereto, whereby the rotating container may be pressed against the spaced end of the severed tape and the severed tape may be rolled upon the container as the drum moves the container.

6. A machine for applying a length of tape about the peripheries of cylindrical containers, comprising a power drive, a feeding channel of a width to freely receive a container and of a length to hold a series of containers, a resiliently surfaced drum having perforations in the periphery, a vacuum line connected through to said apertures to hold tape thereon, a pressure roller for applying tape to the flexible periphery while compressing the flexible periphery to be held compressed by the applied tape, a knife operable from the power drive for severing a length of tape whereby the expanding flexible periphery may separate the severed ends of the tape, an intermittent feed for advancing a container and pressing it against the end of the severed length of tape on the drum, the drum, knife and intermittent feed all being connected to the power drive to be actuated in timed relation thereto, a curved wall and a portion of the periphery of the drum forming a tape applying channel, the wall and drum being so spaced that both may be frictionally engaged by a container whereby the drum may roll the container as the tape is rolled thereon, and a third channel including spaced walls through which a container may freely pass from the tape applying drum.

7. The machine for applying a length of tape about the peripheries of cylindrical containers defined in claim 6 and characterized in that the intermittent container feed includes a resilient contact member for engaging a container, holding the container resiliently against the severed end of the tape on the drum momentarily until the revolving drum rolls the container into frictional contact with the curved wall spaced from the periphery of the drum and forming therewith the tape applying channel.

8. The machine for applying a length of tape about'the peripheries of cylindrical containers defined in claim 6 and characterized in that the intermittent container feed includes a contact member, a coiled spring for positioning the contact member on a reciprocating carriage driven by the power drive whereby the coiled spring may press the contact member into engagement with a container moving the latter to and holding it against the drum while the latter rolls the container into contact with the curved wall of the tape applying channel.

JOHN G. JONES. LAWRENCE A. ULMSCHNEIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,133,602 -Woodland. Mar. 30, 1915 1,559,615 Hoepner Nov. 3, 1925 1,716,445 Johnson et al June 11, 1929 2,254,217 Grupe Sept. 2, 1941 2,334,224 Socke Nov. 16, 1943 

